Govt Fails to Make High Animal Welfare Ambitions a Reality

The review of New
Zealand’s most important piece of legislation surrounding
the treatment of animals promised big changes.
Unfortunately, the reality has fallen short say animal group
SAFE. The statement follows the reporting back of the
Primary Production Select Committee today on the review of
the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).

SAFE says cruel factory
farms are still going to be legal and animal welfare will
continue to be under the Ministry for Primary Industries
(MPI), which suffers a conflict of interest with its primary
goal: to increase the profits of industry. The government
also missed several key opportunities, such as banning
exotic animals in circuses, live export and cetaceans in
captivity.

Cosmetics testing on animals was not banned,
and alternatives to animal testing do not have to be used
even when they are available. “How can the government
expect this bill to be taken seriously, if it still allows
the torture of rabbits for the sake of shampoo?” says SAFE
campaign officer Shanti Ahluwalia.

“We’re pleased to
see they have removed loopholes protecting the most extreme
abuse like battery cages,” says Mr Ahluwalia. “There are
also some improvements in enforcement, although without any
extra funding allocated, this is another example of
aspiration over substance.”

SAFE urges the Government to
listen to the thousands of people who sent submissions and
e-cards for better animal welfare standards and ensure that
any changes to the final Animal Welfare Act will bring
meaningful improvements to the lives of animals in New
Zealand.

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